Windier
Phyllis Atha
09 February 2012 | Allan's Cay, Bahamas
Oops, I forgot to change the coordinates last night, so it didn't indicate the change in our position from Norman's to Highborn. Not that it will give you an accurate position anyway since when I send the Wanderings by radio email it somehow screws up the position. Even puts us over in Africa or in the Med. I do go in and correct the coordinates when we do get wifi, so eventually they are all correct. Well, we had at least 20 kt. winds all night. The current and wind fought each other during part of the tide cycle, so half the night the current kept us pointed into the current and the wind pushed the boat up over the anchor. Our anchor was literally behind us at times. Then sometimes we were sitting broadside to the wind. The anchor held well, but the anchor rode would rub on the hull of the boat and make a grinding noise. When we awoke this morning we had winds pretty steady at 25 and sometimes gusting to 30. But, adventurers that we are, we pulled up the anchor and left Highborn, headed to Allan's. We put out less than half the main and just a hanky of a jib to help with the propulsion and to steady the boat. We had 3 to 4 ft. waves at times. It was a bumpy, wet ride. We were all bundled up with long pants, long sleeves, socks and hats and it was still chilly. Charlie said someone on the radio said it was 53 degrees this morning. That's cold over here in the Bahamas. We did make it into Allan's, where half a dozen other boats were anchored. We first anchored south of everyone, It was pretty rolly. To the point that Charlie had pretty well decided we were going to visit the iguanas after we ate lunch, then go back to Highborn. Mike on Valkrie called us on the radio. He and his wife, Francine, were anchored up in the anchorage a bit farther, and he offered to move his boat, a smaller catamaran farther north in the shallower water, so we could move up into his spot. I, for one not wanting to go back out in the waves to sail back to Highborn, suggested we take him up on his offer. We all ended up happy that we did. It was much better. Charlie, Jack and Kim braved the winds and chop to go visit the iguanas. They also saw some finches they said were very friendly. The rest of the day we spent huddled out of the wind on the boat. The wind did start calming just a bit this afternoon. This evening we have heard a few higher gusts, but all in all I think it has dropped in velocity. It has also clocked around a bit more to the east which we hope it continues to do.